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Aero Glass Remoting in Windows Server 2008 R2

Introduction

Aero Glass remoting provides a user experience in a remote session that is comparable to a local session. This feature is now available for Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) as well as Windows 7 as a virtual machine (VM) hosted on a Hyper-V machine, in addition to the Windows 7 client.

Below are some screenshots of a remote session from Server 2008 R2 RC build:

Flip-3D animation:

Alt-Tab:

Taskbar live preview:

Requirements and Benefits

The following are required to enable Aero Glass in a Remote Desktop session:

On the Remote Desktop client:

Windows Aero-capable hardware and driver is required, and the following settings should be selected in the Remote Desktop client:

If the remote computer is a Windows 7 client machine, the ability to support Aero Glass remoting is enabled by default.

If the remote computer is a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine, the Desktop Session Host (RDSH) role is required. In addition, the Desktop Experience feature, Themes service, 32 bits per pixel (32bpp), and Group Policy are required. The steps to enable Aero Glass remoting on a Windows Server 2008 R2 computer are provided later in this blog.

The operating system on the remote computer and the remote desktop client are required to be Windows 7 client or Windows Server 2008 R2. A support matrix is provided in the “Troubleshooting” section.

Aero Glass remoting support includes the following:

1) Full Aero theme, 3D animation and desktop composition support in remote sessions. This provides a “like-local” user experience.

2) The remote computer is not required to have Aero-capable hardware, so connecting to a virtual machine or “headless” server machine still provides Aero support, assuming the client machine has an Aero Glass-capable graphics card installed.

3) Aero Glass remoting is bandwidth-efficient and works across WAN.

Transitions between Aero Glass on and off, local and remote sessions are transparent to applications.

Server Manager UI to enable Aero Glass remoting on server

The easiest way to enable Aero Glass remoting on Windows 2008 R2 server is to use the “desktop composition” checkbox on the Server Manager UI when installing the Remote Desktop role. Now your server is ready to remote Aero Glass. You may still need to configure the client properly.

Manual steps to enable Aero Glass remoting on Windows Server 2008 R2

Enabling Aero in the remote session on Windows Server 2008 R2 requires the “Remote Desktop Session Host” role. The feature is not available on servers without the RDSH role installed and with /admin sessions even when the RDSH role is installed.

Troubleshooting

Below are some of the most common scenarios when troubleshooting why Aero Glass is not turned on in a remote session.

1) Windows 7 Aero theme not enabled

On Windows 2008 R2 server, after Aero Glass remoting is enabled, any new user connecting remotely with the proper client settings will automatically get Aero Glass in the remote session.

Existing users on the server will need to manually change the theme in the remote session once by selecting the Windows 7 Aero theme in desktop personalization. Subsequent connections will automatically get the Aero theme in the remote session.

I managed to remote Aero after I installed nVidia graphics drivers. The default non-plug-and-play VGA adapter wouldn't let me even use a Windows 7 Basic Theme locally! It seems to work fine both locally and remotely now, though the personalization windows still claims some themes are blocked by remote session settings.

However, I'm not sure how safe it is to use Windows 7 drivers on Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V(My virtual Server 2003 has just suffered a IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL BSOD).

I'm having problems getting it to work from Win 7 Pro to Win 7 Pro. Note, I'm a different Jon than the one that posted above. However, I can get it to work if I go from Win 7 Pro to Win 7 Enterprise. Does anyone know if this is by design? If so, this is STUPID!!!! I wouldn't put it past Microsoft to bake in some moronic limitation like this to force you to upgrade further.

ShawnC

26 Jul 2010 7:41 AM

Is there a list of programs that have problems as the Remote Desktop Service Host role mentions might happen when installing on a running server with apps installed? I dont want to hork up my dev box running Windows Server 2008 R2

I have a Windows Server 2008 R2 and run hyper-v. In there I have a virtual windows7 client. Does the Vista + RDP7.0 client still not support AERO Glass? Or did you make changes?

Cheers,

Marc

Andren

23 Feb 2011 10:22 PM

I'm sorry, but this is just unbelievable.

We're a small business. We bought Windows 7 Pro. We bought eight copies. We bought a Small Business server, 10 licenses. We bought Office 2010, six of those and Office 2007, two of those. We paid a lot of money to Microsoft.

Now when my boss remotes into his desktop, he wants to know why it doesn't look the same. He thinks I screwed up. I have to tell him we need to buy Windows 7 Ultimate to make it look the same, at $129 a pop. But why should we? Didn't we pay enough? Why is Microsoft treating its best customers like ****?

Jay

15 May 2011 11:01 AM

if you're connecting wirelessly you might have to change the connection speed under Experience on Remote Desktop Connection. I tried to connect wirelessly within my local network and the LAN(10MB or Higher) option wouldn't work. Lowered it to the WAN(10mb or higher with high latency) and it worked fine. Beat my head against the wall til I discovered this.

On your client Remote Desktop Connection you might have to adjust the connection speed under Experience. LAN(10mb) wouldn't work on my wireless connection. Had to adjust to WAN(10mb with latency) I beat my head on the wall trying to figure this out. It's always something simple...isn't it?

staff1703

7 Jul 2011 11:40 AM

Hi,

I just set up remote aero glass on my windows 2008r2 std (server) with win7 pro (client).

What is nice:

- it works! I've got aero glass theme

What is not nice:

- my windows tells me it doesn't work for me :) When I want to change a theme using Personalisation frame, all the Aero themes are greyed, and in the bottom of the window I've got a note like that "At least one of your themes is disabled by remote desktop connection settings".

I can't get which settings may disable it. I need. It looks funny when I read some things like above in a beatiful glassy style window... It's also annoying when I want to set brand new bings best theme and it tells me it's impossible.

Itai

6 Mar 2013 12:08 AM

Very useful information, Thank you very much.

Mike

25 Feb 2015 3:34 PM

After enabling the RDHS role, it is asking me for to specify licensing type as well as a licensing server? What do I select here?